The present invention relates generally to the field of underground boring and, more particularly, to a system and method of controlling an underground boring machine through use of macro assistance.
Utility lines for water, electricity, gas, telephone, and cable television are often run underground for reasons of safety and aesthetics. In many situations, the underground utilities can be buried in a trench which is then back-filled. Although useful in areas of new construction, the burial of utilities in a trench has certain disadvantages. In areas supporting existing construction, a trench can cause serious disturbance to structures or roadways. Further, there is a high probability that digging a trench may damage previously buried utilities, and that structures or roadways disturbed by digging the trench are rarely restored to their original condition. Also, an open trench may pose a danger of injury to workers and passersby.
The general technique of boring a horizontal underground hole has recently been developed in order to overcome the disadvantages described above, as well as others unaddressed when employing conventional trenching techniques. In accordance with such a general horizontal boring technique, also referred to as horizontal directional drilling (HDD) or trenchiess underground boring, a boring system is situated on the ground surface and drills a hole into the ground at an oblique angle with respect to the ground surface, A drilling fluid is typically flowed through the drill string, over the boring tool, and back up the borehole in order to remove cuttings and dirt.
After the boring tool reaches a desired depth, the tool is then directed along a substantially horizontal path to create a horizontal borehole. After the desired length of borehole has been obtained, the tool is then directed upwards to break through to the earth""s surface. A reamer is then attached to the drill string which is pulled back through the borehole, thus reaming out the borehole to a larger diameter. It is common to attach a utility line or other conduit to the reaming tool so that it is dragged through the borehole along with the reamer.
It can be appreciated that a highly skilled operator is often needed to operate an underground boring machine at a desired level of productivity and safety. Although advancements have been made in excavation machine automation, the presence of a skilled operator remains desirable in order to achieve increased levels of productivity and safety during excavation. Notwithstanding such automation advancements, the present state of the art still requires the skilled operator to manipulate HDD machine controls on a repetitive basis to perform complex and even routine tasks. Such repetition leads to operator fatigue and may reduce overall excavation productivity.
There exists a need in the excavation industry for an apparatus and methodology for increasing the level of boring machine automation. There exists the further need for such an apparatus and methodology that captures the control capabilities of skilled operators and provides a mechanism for sharing such captured control capabilities by other boring machine operators. The present invention fulfills these and other needs.
The present invention is directed to a system and method of controlling a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) machine. Controlling an HDD machine, according to an embodiment of the present invention, involves manually controlling the HDD machine to perform a sequence of HDD machine actions. HDD machine parameters associated with the sequence of HDD machine actions are stored while manually controlling the HDD machine. Storing of the HDD machine parameters is subsequently terminated, typically by an operator or HDD machine controller, upon completing the sequence of HDD machine actions. The stored HDD machine parameters define all or part of an executable control program associated with the sequence of HDD machine actions. All or some of the controlling, storing, and terminating processes may be performed remotely from or at the HDD machine.
The executable control program may define a wide variety of HDD machine actions or series of actions. For example, the sequence of HDD machine actions may include a sequence of cutting tool or reamer actions, such as a sequence of cutting tool steering actions. The sequence of HDD machine actions may also include a sequence of rod loading or unloading actions. The sequence of HDD machine actions may further include a sequence of mud system actions. The sequence of HDD machine actions may also include a sequence of cutting tool (e.g., boring head or reamer) location detection actions, such as a series of cutting tool orientation movements that enhance cutting tool location detection.
The HDD machine parameters may include parameters associated with operator actuated control inputs for performing the sequence of HDD machine actions. The HDD machine parameters may also include parameters associated with one or more HDD machine operating characteristics. For example, the HDD machine parameters may be associated with a dynamic or kinematic characteristic of the HDD machine, such as parameters associated with one or both of an HDD machine pressure and torque.
According to another embodiment, controlling an HDD machine involves manually controlling the HDD machine to perform a sequence of HDD machine actions, storing HDD machine parameters associated with the sequence of HDD machine actions, and terminating storing of the HDD machine parameters. The stored HDD machine parameters define all or part of an executable control program associated with the sequence of HDD machine actions. The method, according to this embodiment, further involves executing the control program to replicate the sequence of HDD machine actions. The method may further involve testing all or a portion of the control program. The control program may be edited, and all or a selected portion of the control program may be erased.
Executing the control program may involve executing a selected portion of the control program and repeating controlling, storing, and terminating processes to generate a revised portion of the control program. The selected portion of the control program may be replaced with the revised portion. The repeating controlling, storing, and terminating processes may also be repeated to generate a second control program, and the control program and second control program may be executed to replicate sequences of HDD machine actions. One or both of the control program and the second control program may be selected for execution.
In a further embodiment, the controlling, storing, and terminating processes may be repeated to generate a second control program associated with a second HDD machine operating mode. The method may further involve executing the control program associated with a first HDD machine operating mode and the second control program to replicate sequences of HDD machine actions in accordance with the first and second HDD machine operation modes.
The repeating controlling, storing, and terminating processes may also be repeated to generate a second control program, and the second control program may be merged with the control program. For example, the control program may be associated with a first sequence of HDD machine actions, and the controlling, storing, and terminating processes may be repeated to generate a second control program associated with a second sequence of HDD machine actions. The second control program may be merged with the control program to replicate the first and second sequences of HDD machine actions upon execution of the first and second control programs, respectively.
Executing the control program may involve regulating one or more HDD machine characteristics during replication of the sequence of HDD machine actions such that one or more pre-established thresholds are not exceeded. A visual representation of the executed control program may be displayed. In one approach, the process of executing the control program is initiated remotely with respect to the HDD machine.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, controlling an HDD machine involves providing a number of control programs, each of which causes the HDD machine to execute a sequence of pre-defined HDD machine actions. The control programs are categorized, and access to the categorized control programs is provided to users. Selected categorized control programs are transferred to a memory of the HDD machine or other storage resource for subsequent execution by the HDD machine.
Categorizing the control programs may involve arranging the control programs in one or more control program libraries. The control programs may be categorized by associating certain control programs with certain soil-related conditions. Categorizing the control programs may involve categorizing the control programs by associating certain control programs with certain HDD machine productivity specifications. The control programs may also be categorized, for example, by associating certain control programs with certain HDD machine actions.
The certain HDD machine actions may, for example, include a sequence of cutting tool or reamer actions. The certain HDD machine actions may include a sequence of rod loading or unloading actions or a sequence of mud system actions.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, a system for controlling an HDD machine having a plurality of controls and sensors for controlling the HDD machine provides for the use of a user interface which includes a user input device. The system further includes a memory and a controller coupled to the memory. The controller, in response to a first signal generated by the user input device, receives input signals from one or more HDD machine controls and/or sensors and, in response to a second signal, stores in the memory a set of executable instructions defining a sequence of HDD machine actions developed from the input signals.
The user input device may include a record control that generates one or both of the first and/or second signals. The user input device may also include a playback control that generates a playback signal, such that the controller, in response to the playback signal, executes the set of executable instructions to perform the sequence of HDD machine actions. Further, the user input device may include a pause control that generates a pause signal, such that the controller suspends execution of the set of executable instructions in response to the pause signal. A terminate control may also be provided as part of the user input device that generates a terminate signal, such that the controller terminates execution of the set of executable instructions in response to the terminate signal.
The user interface may include a display. The input device may include an edit control that generates an edit signal, and the controller may graphically present all or selected portions of the set of executable instructions on the display in response to the edit signal. The set of executable instructions may be modified by the controller in response to the edit signal and user inputs received by the user interface.
The user input device may include an erase control that generates an erase signal, and the controller may graphically present all or selected portions of the set of executable instructions on the display in response to the erase signal. The controller may delete all or selected portions of the set of executable instructions in response to the erase signal and user inputs received by the user interface.
The user input device may further include a scan control that generates a scan signal. The controller may graphically present all or selected portions of the set of executable instructions on the display in response to the scan signal. A merge control may be provided as part of the user input device that generates a merge signal. The controller may graphically present all or selected portions of at least two sets of executable instructions on the display and merge all or selected portions of the at least two sets of executable instructions in response to the merge signal. In one configuration, a remote control unit separate from the HDD machine is provided. The remote control unit may house one or more of the user interface, user input device, memory, and/or controller.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, controlling an HDD machine involves controlling the HDD machine along an underground path in accordance with a pre-established bore plan. A library of control programs is accessed. Each of the control programs causes the HDD machine to execute a sequence of pre-defined HDD machine actions. A particular control program may be selected from the library of programs. The particular control program may be executed to augment control of the HDD machine along the underground path.
Selecting the particular control program may involve manually or autonomously selecting the particular control program from the library of programs. Selecting the particular control program may, for example, involve autonomously selecting a number of particular control programs from the library of programs to optimize control of the HDD machine.
A change in HDD machine characteristics along the underground path may further be determined, and a second control program may be selected from the library of programs. The second control program may be executed to augment control of the HDD machine along the underground path.
A set of initial HDD machine operating parameters may be input for controlling the HDD machine along the underground path, and execution of the particular control program may involve augmenting the set of initial HDD machine operating parameters.
Controlling the HDD machine may involve autonomously controlling the HDD machine along the underground path in accordance with the pre-established bore plan. Controlling the HDD machine may also involve manually controlling the HDD machine along the underground path in accordance with the pre-established bore plan, wherein execution of the particular control program augments or takes over manual control of the HDD machine.